KS Sudarshan's mortal remains consigned to flames in Nagpur

The mortal remains of former RSS chief KS Sudarshan, who died in Raipur, were consigned to flames in the presence of scores of tearful mourners at a crematorium in Nagpur on Sunday.

Sudarshan's younger brother KS Ramesh, who arrived from Bangalore, lit the funeral pyre amid chanting of Vedic prayers.

The body of the former RSS chief, which was brought from Raipur in Chhattisgarh last evening, had been kept for public viewing at Maharshi Vyas hall in 'Smruti Mandir', the memorial of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.

The mortal remains were on Sunday taken in a chariot, which was pulled by several RSS workers, from Reshimbagh to Ganga Bai Ghat (crematorium) in a procession.

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, BJP patriarch LK Advani, party president Nitin Gadkari, Opposition Leader in Rajya Sarbha Arun Jaitley, former BJP president Rajnath Singh, deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde and senior leader Ananth Kumar led the mourners in paying their last respects to Sudarshan.

chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, Narendra Modi (Gujarat), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Jagdish Shettar (Karnataka), Dr Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) were prominent among those present.

RSS General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka B Ramesh, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav, Sanjay Joshi, Madhya Pradesh party stalwarts Kailash Joshi, Babulal Gour, former RSS spokesman Baburao Vaidya, BJP women's wing president Smruti Irani, Vidarbha RSS functinaries Dr Dilip Gupta, Ravindra Joshi were also present.

Sudarshan, who was known for his hardline views and believed in the concept of swadeshi, died at the age of 81 after suffering a heart attack. He is survived by a brother and sister.